81251 is a true toss-up. About 48% of voters here vote Democratic and 52% Republican.
About 63% of adults in 81251 typically vote, near the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in 81251, ~30% vote Democratic, ~33% Republican, and ~37% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How 81251 compares
81251 sits in a sparsely populated area with few comparable zip codes nearby.
81251 runs about 15 points more Republican than Colorado as a whole. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while 81251 is one of the few Republican-leaning pockets.
Why 81251 leans the way it does
This analysis examined 14,881 data points per zip code to find what predicts political lean and turnout. The items below are a few correlations that stood out for 81251, not a ranked or complete list of what matters most.
81251 votes against the grain of Colorado. Colorado leans Democratic overall, while 81251 runs about 15 points more Republican.
Walkability and Republican lean
Places with a low walkability score tend to lean Republican; 81251, CO sits in the bottom quarter nationally on this measure. A walkable street grid does not change how people vote; it mostly reflects how urban a place is.
Why turnout in 81251 looks the way it does
Homeowners vote more often than renters. About 96% of households in 81251 own their home, about 22 points above the Colorado average of 75%. Limited routine healthcare access lines up with lower turnout, and 81251 sits in the bottom quarter on routine-care measures. High high-school completion lines up with higher turnout, and about 97% of adults in 81251 have completed high school, above 91% of zip codes. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Zip Codes
Zip Codes with Similar Populations
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Colorado Secretary of State, Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.